Fire Business
by Aki Vos
Summary: 10 Years before Kira in Japan, there is a face off in London between good and evil using Death Notes. Can love survive the notebook?
1. Chapter 1

_My name is the Reaper Datum. I have come to your world to play a game between good and evil, if you accept; know that your life will never be the same and that you may never go to Heaven or Hell. If that doesn't suit you, pass this letter on to someone whom it does suit. This is not a game for the faint of heart. I have heard the souls of Humans can be tainted in a way that only a Reaper would ever understand. Now understand me. I will visit you soon. Sincerely the Reaper Datum_

The letters were dropped carefully into the streets signaling out those whom it called to. The envelopes had a rather mysterious 'To Whom Possesses this Letter' on the covers in gold leafing. It was all very fancy and even terrifying since the rain that poured down avoided the letter and fell in a square around it. The letter was a page of the Death Note of Datum himself.

Datum watched the two letters from a perch on top of a small coffee house filled with college students and eager business people. It wasn't long before a young man approached, his hair wet and battered from the gales and droplets saw the wonder, didn't touch the letter, but stood above it in the dry square and washed off his hair.

Turning his gaze up, he watched the irregularity carefully before looking down to notice the white envelope with gold lettering. He bent down and grasping it with his right hand read it quickly than flipped it over. He stuck a finger under the flap and loosened and pulled the letter out. He read it, a smiling churning across his face in a wicked march.

"Can't go to Heaven or Hell…" He said quietly. 'Useful,' ran across his brain instantly. Datum moved out of sight and hovered around the other letter so he couldn't be seen. He did however glance at the boys name so he could later find him in the phone book.

* * *

Datum hovered outside the home of Martha and William Gooding. The couple of twenty-five years has one son, a college student named John, the current owner of one page of a death note. Landing on the red shingled rooftop, Datum leaned over the ease troth and looked into the window to see John sleeping quietly under a quilt. Datum turned his head and 'awed' at the cuteness and began laughing. John stirred at the noise and Datum slapped a hand over his mouth.

"John Gooding, you have been chosen to carry a Death Note. You will play the side of evil in my games. Remember this voice in your dreams and hear me when you read this letter and open this Note." Datum said speaking to the sleeping teen. Datum set down the Death Note, the book was a flat notebook with a simple black cover and on the front 'Death Note' was written in the same gold style as the letter. On top of that Datum placed a letter, open and flapping in the wind. Upon both he placed rocks.

Datum stood up on the roof looking into the moon and seeing the beauty in the light. "This pathetic world is neat…" He unfurled his large bronze and tattered wings to carry him away into the night.

* * *

The letter was opened, read and laughed at. John Gooding sat at his desk chair and re-read the ridiculous note that was left for him. "A notebook that can kill people? How stupid!"

John read the letter again and recognized the name John Satchel. John Satchel was a local hero, not only for saving a woman who's baby's stroller got caught up in the subway, but he was a good singer too. He performed at local pubs and earn his living that way. John Gooding laughed again and began to read the letter aloud.

"Congratulations, John Gooding. You have been chosen to play the evil in my game. I am very excited to hear this, and happily, I have come up with another little condition. You must use fire to kill. It's easy, write a name in the Death Note and quickly afterwards write caught on fire. Anything you write about details is up to you, but follow this important rule. Read the rules of the Death Note and abide by them as well. Most importantly don't get caught by good. If you find out who good is, kill them.

"Now I want you to do something for me. Kill John Satchel. Just write John Satchel, Caught on fire. Datum the Reaper." John laughed again and took a deep breath before opening the Death Note and scribbling the words down. He added a little something at the end 'will run down Brewery St. Ablaze'.

John went up to his window and stared out, the street empty. He made a groaning noise upset that it wasn't happening. He turned away for a second and stared at the notebook. He picked up his pencil and added and additional 'Immediately.' It was then he heard a scream from down the street. He opened the window quickly, his head smiling as he looked outside.

John Satchel was on fire running down the street of Brewery, on fire. He collapsed on the street and began rolling around. Gooding watched as the movements slow, he could feel it then his power over life and death. John smiled and came back inside to sit down at his desk and continue writing in the note. "Say goodbye to life, you hypocrites."

* * *

Parliament that morning was quiet as Lord Christopher Ava was walking down the steps into his expensive and large car. He had just stopped by the office to pretend to do official business. He stopped just before the car and smelled smoke. He lifted his head and sniffed the air; his eyes glanced over to a stream of smoke coming from the driver's side.

"Must be having a smoke." He said and opened the door. The oxygen rushed in and the fire erupted instantly consuming Christopher Ava, the driver and the car, a few seconds later the gas tank followed leaving a fiery Hell behind in the wake of a few words from a teen-aged boy.

'_Christopher Ava, death by burning. When he leaves parliament and opens the car door, the fire caused by his driver's cigarette will explodes, consuming them both.'_

* * *

"Jack the Ripper cleaned up London once." John said in class defending the killings. "Maybe it was the only way he saw could work. Maybe the cops were a little crooked and allowed prostitution. Who knows, but it made the streets clean."

"Interesting theory as always from Mr. Gooding." The teacher said and turned a page in his book and then looked up. "Who would like to take on his theory?"

Suddenly the door opened wider then it already was and a small little girl in pink high top shoes and a bright green dress walked in. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like too."

"Ah, miss Silva, our American exchange student late for her first day." She giggled and smiled. The teacher gave her and welcoming hand and she shook it and took a seat near the front. "So, you're hear to argue Mr. Gooding's case about jack the Ripper."

"Jack the Ripper was a murder. He killed for the sake of killing. Even if we looked at it as he was 'cleaning the streets' isn't it enough to say he killed several woman and that would make him evil? Anyway, I bet if Mr. Gooding wasn't getting laid, he wouldn't mind taking a girl home." She said smartly.

The class erupted into laughter as John sat foreword and stared at her. "It isn't a matter of getting some, if the principals of ethics. Those women are degenerates and deserve to be killed. If they're willing to sell their body at a price why not just get rid of it all together. Or would you have a problem committing suicide?"

"Enough!" The teacher said quickly. He looked at the both of them and took a deep breath. "You two, debate team meeting at four today. Participation is a good way to make up for this destructive communications."

The two turned to each other. Miss Silva glared at him, the sourness on her face clear. John laughed and began chewing on his pencil as he relaxed accepting the inevitable. He would have to beat her with plain arguing.


	2. Chapter 2

"I didn't say I was a human-like Reaper anywhere in the letter." Datum cooed as he slowly approached John in his room. John was panicked; his heart ready to vault out of its cavity the beating was so fast. Datum could hear it easily and tilted his head, the long auburn hair moving with his cranium. "Hey, calm down. I'm not here to take your soul kid. We don't do that anymore, souls are too…" Datum looked up and licked his lips. Swiveling back he opened his mouth of sharp teeth and smiled. "…Messy."

"You're… you're the one who sent the letters." John said nervously, his hand shaking terribly as it pointed at the Reaper. Datum gentle nodded and John began to calm down. "So, you're the Grim Reaper? You're here for me to collect souls for you, right?"

"Did you just not hear me or are you brain dead? We don't do souls anymore. We take years of life away, and in no way is this beneficial. And by the way, Grim stopped living about a hundred years ago." He pointed out and shook his head. "Listen, this is a simple little game between good and evil. You're the evil, now act like it and start burning entire families up. Jack never did this, he even wrote himself in every murder he did."

"Jack… the Ripper? He had a Death Note?" John sat straight up and stared at the Reaper, Datum nodded happily. John stood up cautiously and began straightening his shirt and adjusting himself so he would look presentable. A wicked little grin crossed his face as he began laughing. It started off quiet and then continued into a full body chuckle, he exploded and had to keep himself up by leaning on his desk. He moved his chestnut colored hair back and regained his composure. "I'm finishing his work then!"

"He had something you don't, the eyes of a Reaper. As agreed, you must take them at the cost of half your life span. Prepare yourself." Datum said and placed a hand on John's forehead. His eyes began to sting and burn for a second, then all went clear and he could see everything as normal. "When you look on a normal person, above their heads in red letting will be the name of the person and the amount of life in seconds. Use it as you will, kill your family, your neighbors. Whomever you feel like."

"I doubt I'll be taking my own family, unless I need to. " John said quickly considering his new position. "I'll bring fire like they've never seen before, more lives lost then could be possibly imagined." Datum smiled and unfurled his wings. "Leaving?"

"I have to go introduce myself to good. See you later." Datum said and floated out through the wall into the world. John fell onto his bed smiling and turned to the door. Feeling the urge to test his new eyes he wandered a glance at the window and looked at the street below. There a mass of red floated above the busy crowds that came to lay a respectful note or flower for John Satchel.

* * *

"There's a difference between geeks and nerds." John said carefully at the debate meeting, he looked over at Silva who was on his team for this. She would have to defend pretty well or they would lose and have to compete again next week. "A geek is a type of fanatic of something sci-fi or fantasy. Lots of time they focus in on anime as well. A Nerd however is smart and darkish. One person can be both however."

"When we describe a geek…" Samara Silva said, John had read her name off her time of death. She had a long life a head of her. "We describe a fat, pimpled, poorly dressed man who spends all day drooling over his favorite things, possible the full collection of Star Wars dolls. A nerd however is described with a pocket protected, tan pants and a white or other type of nice looking shirt. There is obviously no connection unless one person is the same, but they are to be defined differently."

The other team composed of a couple freshmen didn't know what to say because one was a geek and one was a nerd. Samara smiled and took a deep breath and watched as they were announced to be the winners by an astonished judge of a teacher. John happily offered his hand to shake and Samara took it cautiously. "I still hate you." She said quietly and dropped his hand to leave the room.

* * *

The first fire was on the south side of London in a small little neighborhood. John Gooding stood outside a home. It belonged to a man who he didn't know, he had randomly started walking around after the debate and found himself here at dusk, the yard perfect and tidy with several people inside having a party. It was perfect to bring evil to them. Inside he saw the name 'Martha Hedding' and began to write.

'_Martha Hedding, burned to death. The house she is in catches fire by the exits, there is no escape, and everyone with her dies alongside her from the fire which starts at…' _John looked down at his watch. 9:16 PM. '_9:17 PM.' _John slipped the Death Note back into the secret compartment of his bag and looked down at his watch. '_57… 58…59…' _Catching fire John smiled and began to walk down the street there he saw a woman at the corner, dress like a hooker John simply could resist. He read her name and wrote it down quickly.

'_Sarah Cadwell, murdered. At 9:20 a man will come along with a cooking knife. He will stab it into her and cut her stomach open and begin to remove organs from her until police arrive.'_ John thought this was hilarious, "just like Jack. I should go over to White Chapel…"

He waited behind the telephone pole, listening to the screams of the people inside the house. The whore came running over and then he saw her life span and looked down at his watch. He had changed this woman's future. She went up to the door and began pounding. He knew it would do now use, the door broke out in flames and she burnt her hands and came away a whiles and dialed the police. "Ello?"

She frantically cried. "There's a house on fire, you have my location? Hurry, send the entire station, their dying in there." It was then he saw a girl in a bright green dress wandering down the road. She stopped and saw the fire and got on her cell phone.

"Samara!" John yelled and she walked over with the police on the other line. He took the cell phone and hung up. "The police are already coming. What are you doing here?"

"That's my house." She said and began to cry. "My parents were having a dinner party."

"Come on, I'll wait with you on the other side of the street." He said and moved her over and sat her down on the curb. The police arrived to find a homeless man was cutting open the hooker. He pulled out a bit of liver and took it over to the fire and began cooking it in the flames.

The police ordered him to stop but he didn't. The man was shot dead. All the while the screams were long gone. 'How was I to know…? I couldn't have…' John said sitting down. He wrapped his arms around Samara and held her while she cried.

* * *

The news was all around school that morning. Samara Silva had committed suicide; there was an opening in class that had already been filled. The school administration was heartless. John felt queasy as he strolled into class and sat down. The new girl was already there, her hair a dark red with blond highlights. John sat down next to her and let his head fall down on the desk.

"Are you alright?" the new girl asked quietly. John raised his head and shook it. "What, about the suicide?"

"She asked me to leave, I was with her right before she jumped in the fire." John said staring straight into the dark recesses of the chalkboard in front of them. His mind wandering to just what evil was. This was what he had agreed to.


	3. Chapter 3

Her name was Alyssa Jones. For some reason, John couldn't see her time which he just thought meant it hadn't been decided. John looked over at he as she strolled to the front of the class room and stood next to the teacher who had asked her to introduce herself. "My name is Alyssa Jones, I am from Denmark, but was originally born in London. I came back here for school." She said and the instructor was about to say something but she continued. "I know I'm only in here because of that girl, but don't hold that against me. I didn't kill her."

"That's a good point. Don't even relate her to Miss Silva." The instructor pointed out. He held his hand out and Alyssa went to her seat next to John who agreed with the last statement. The teacher continued and John pulled out a piece of paper and began scribbling. 'I'm John.' He wrote and folded the paper and handed it to her.

She took it opened it and wrote back. 'I'm sorry about you're friend John.' Was written back as she handed it over, then they were told to go to the lab in Room 106. "Were you two close?"

"No, I barely knew her, it's just the fact that I was there when she… jumped." John said, hi stomach clenching. He picked up his coat and his bag throwing it on his shoulder. He looked down thinking of a way to continue the conversation without this. John had noticed something when he came out of his gloom, the girl was pretty hot. "So, you came from Denmark?"

"Yes, it was nice for the five years I was over there, but I wouldn't go back again, I missed London. I doubt I'll even travel much after I graduate." Alyssa said picking up her purse. She slipped the note in the bag and began to walk out, John followed like a stray dog; keeping on her heels. "So, you ever travel anywhere?"

"I went to New York once, saw the regular sites; the statues, the parks, big buildings and shopping. My Mom took me when my dad was still in the Army. It keeps you're mind off things." He replied. They walked down the dark wooden hallway and entered the small computer lab sitting next to each other in the swivel chairs. "So…"

"Look, I know what you're doing. If you want to ask me out just do it already." She said quickly and turned to start up her computer. She began typing in her name and password and was simply waiting. "So…"

"Fine. Do you want to go out sometime?" John asked leaning foreword in his chair looking at her.

She shrugged and listened as the teacher came in dishing out a computer project. "Alright class, I want you to do a professional looking power-point about a made up business you are going to try and sell. Remember to include graphs, displays and your sales tactics. Partner up as well, it's a team effort."

"So… I guess I can partner up with you. The go out with, I'll see." She said quietly and spun around to her computer. "I'll make up some profitable looking graphs; you come up with the company, what we sell and our slogan."

John smiled over at her and she stopped and turned away. He wrote up the company 'Blazing Times'. A clock company that specializes in clocks in tribal and flame like shapes. Slogan: It's time to bring on the heat. John turned his screen and showed them to Alyssa.

"You're really obsessed with fire." She said nervously and kept going, ignoring the sick notion she felt inside her. The continued their project for the full two hours spent in class and came out with a twenty-four page presentation that was as professional as two un-professionals could make it. Alyssa, satisfied, walked out next to John and stopped him in the hall. "Friday when we don't have classes, you can take me out for a coffee." She walked away, her heels clicking on the grained wood below. John smiled and saw Datum across the hall waving to him.

* * *

"Carefully?" Datum asked floating behind John as he pursed the telephone book for the next fire victim. John had decided to do some research, such as gather the names of everyone in his classes so he didn't kill any of their families. He was picking people who didn't share the same last names. "That doesn't sound very evil. Sound kind of selfish."

"And being selfish is evil. Listen, I have to see the face when I write it, correct?" Datum nodded and John stood up and looked out the window and saw a man. He opened his Death note and wrote down 'Alex Clearwater, spontaneous combustion.' He looked out the window and saw another and wrote their name and the same fate. "That's enough; it'll be tricky getting out with randomly burning people… I'm going to take a shower."

"Just two?" Datum asked turning his head and following. John shook his head no. "Do you have something bigger planned?" John pointed to the Death not and took off towards the bathroom. Datum picked up the notebook and read his plan.

'Hector Vensiula, death by burning. His store when no college students are in their will catch fire burning him and several other people. He is the only one that will die.' Datum scratched his head, "This is evil? Must be planning something big later on… hopefully."

* * *

"I think you're looking past the simple point about what good and evil are. Evil always benefits from it's ventures Datum. Here I am benefiting by not having anyone die in my classes. If I have new people in each week, I get confused and lose track of names." John said simply, he then smiled and touched base on the subject of the girl. "Plus, there a cutie I don't want dying anytime soon."

"Have the likings for someone do you?" Datum laughed. He was thinking about the human complexities when he stopped. "If she was in danger would you save her? That'd be an act of good."

"No, an act of selfishness, which makes it evil. I am selfish therefore I am evil." He laughed evilly and stopped. He sighed and pulled the Death Note out from his bag. "I've been working on the laugh… I don't think it's going anywhere. I've been thinking of having some Jack the Ripper style murders up with a trade mark and they burn the body at the end. You're thoughts?"

"You and Jack are so much alike…" Datum said stroking his long beard. "I think that will raise your evil level a full ten points."

"You're keeping points?" John asked quickly and then a large piece of paper was unfolded and Datum pulled his pencil out and began pointing things out. "How come I only have five points and good has so many? I've been taking out people like crazy."

"I suggest you turn on your television once in a while and listen to the news. There's a reason good's up to fifty points. They've been working hard, very, very hard." Datum said and smiled. "Anyway, you killed a degenerate, which took you down from seven points to five. It was an act of good, but I'll remember you're so called acts of selfishness."

"So the jack killings… they were good? So, if I repeat them on whores, I'll do good?" John asked. Datum shrugged. "They were evil because he ate the bodies, if you ate the bodies…"

"Ew… I'll kill normal women then." He said sharply and looked out his window scribbling a name down. "What's my calling card…?" He asked while still writing, he kept writing and writing until he finished and showed the page entry to Datum.

"What's this then?" Datum asked, he took the notebook. Scanning through it he saw the calling card John had put in and smiled. "Genius really." 'Sheran Tabboard. Murdered at 12:45AM. She will wake in the middle of the night and go outside for a cigarette, a strange man will approached her and stab her in the heart. He has gasoline on him and dumps it on the body. He uses the blood and oil to draw this on the wall closest to him. He set both image and corpse body on fire.' Next to the instruction there was a simple three flame fire. "Had to be a guy…"

"Women do say sometimes that men are evil." John said throwing his arms behind his head and swiveling around to stare out the window. "They will come to fear the symbol."

"I see you've been reading the rules…" Datum said closing the notebook and setting it gently on the desk he took out the points and began drawing he showed it to John. "10 points now. You're on you're way." John picked up the remote and turned on the television to see the famous mob boss Jimmy Falcone had been drowned in his office, a cat by his body. "Seems good just went up another five points…."

John slammed his fist on his desk and looked out the window grabbing a pen and the notebook as he began reading names.


	4. Chapter 4

'James Capper. Burned to death. He and four hundred others while attending the soccer match on Tuesday will be caught in an immense fire with no one surviving.' Datum read it slowly again and again. "Plain, simple and to the point, eh, John? You're losing your creative touch.

"Read the next one," John said softly and Datum turned the page. 'Jacob Wright. Suicide. While attending the soccer match on Tuesday he will burn this symbol into the field then set the entire stands along with himself on fire.' "See, I do know what I'm doing. And I know that good's using water which can only kill so many, how ever, fire can kill as many people as I want it too."

"How do you know none of your special interests will die?" Datum asked hinting at his classmates. John simply smiled and pulled out a pink piece of paper reading '10 AM Tuesday our class will be attending an all day art exhibit….' "You're getting smarter John, just like Jack did."

"Thank you… So, how many points do I get for that?" Datum pulled out his large, wrinkled paper and perused it carefully then went crazy with the pencil erasing and drawing. He turned the page around. All of the good points were gone and Evil was up to one. "One?" John was more then a little outraged. "One?"

"You're not doing that much evil, it's more or less just killing blatantly." Datum explained. He sighed and turned to the note, "that's it I'm killing the clergy."

"That's evil!" Datum exclaimed happily. John rolled his eyes and began to write all the clergy he knew starting with the Pope.

* * *

"So…" John said nervously approaching the coffee shop, he turned his head nad looked at the soaked ground by where he found his letter. To his side, neither far nor too close was Alyssa in what she described as an everyday outfit comprised of high heels and an expensive dress. "Why don't you show up at school in one of those outfits?"

"Dress code, remember?" She pointed to how low the top was. "You really have zero experience with girls, don't you?" She said quickly blocking off his advance. He opened the door and she walked in a head, her heels clicking on the floor. She approached the man at the counter and began looking over the signs. "I'll have a Pumpkin Chai."

"I'll have the same." John said and pulled out a couple notes and handed them over to the man. He took the money, gave john his change and began working on the coffees. Alyssa began going through her purse to try and reimburse John but he stopped her. "I asked you out, I pay."

"Wish there we're more gentlemen in the world, especially in my previous town. Thanks." She said. Within a couple minutes and drinks were put on the counter in large colorful cups. They took theirs and sat down at a small table by the window looking out on to the desolate and moody streets. "London's not as bright and cheery as I remember it."

"It's only because it's been raining for the past month, when the sun comes out it'll be better." John reassured her and took a sip of his Chai. "well, since we both have a clear understand that I am bad with this kind of stuff, what should we talk about?"

"You usually talk about yourself, the first date is an introduction of sorts. Kind of like a job interview." She said quickly. She then held up her hand and began telling things while counting on her fingers. "Like this… I'm 18, I'm a Leo, I like movies based off of books." She said getting three fingers down.

Continuing she perked up, everyone likes to talk about themselves. "I play soccer, I can tap dance, I used to have a little dog name Pugs, he was a Pug. Now you."

"I'm also 18, I'm a Capricorn, I like action movies, I'm horrible at sports, I can debate, and I used to have a dog named Pooh after Winnie the Pooh, it was when I was five and it was this giant Doberman."

"See, that wasn't that hard. Now you begin to discuss things, regular things. What you do in your spare time and such." John shrugged. "Let me guess you spend your time sleeping, typical teenager." John laughed because he knew he couldn't say I kill people.

* * *

Datum smiled as he lay floating above John's bed, John knew he had just come back from seeing how his rival was doing, but all he cared about was that he was ahead in points, good wouldn't care about that, but evil would. Datum pulled out the chart and showed it to him. "That thing with the Pope catching on fire after burning several choir boys… that was fun!"

"I know, I know, and it got me quite a few points." John said happily, he looked over the numbers, good was at 15 after being reset down to zero, John however on the side of evil was sitting pretty on 45 points. He shoved it away and flipped open his Death Note while, "so, can you tell me more about Jack?"

"Jack was… interesting. You know, I merely gave him a note and said have fun. At first he refused until I showed him what it could do. He smiled and gladly took the eyes." Datum said with a refreshing sigh at the end. "That man was truly tormented. Had this wild look about him and all. Kind of like you when you were writing that Pope thing, except him wrote the end stuff before and inserted the name and the times so he could be in on the actions. He always included 'and the perpetrator will not be caught.' He was a good user."

"If I were you back then, the whole eating organs would creep me out." John said in an admiring voice. "You said that I couldn't go to neither Heaven nor Hell right?" Datum nodded, the hair from his chin moving with him. "Then no matter how many people I kill, I won't be punished?"

"Basically." Datum said and rolled over to look at him. "What's next for the greater evil, John? I'm getting board." John tossed him the death note and began to read. Datum burst out laughing and tossed it back at him. "So, you're including more them one element now? Genius!"

"I know… But I'm worried about good. London's Cat their calling her. I think I'll leave her a little calling card." John said opening to a blank page. He began to write and ended the happening with 'will cut wrists open and write "here kitty kitty" on the wall. Then will set self on fire.'


	5. Chapter 5

"Special interests have reported a letter being left inside the mobster's hide out indicating that this was one of the London's Cat murders." The woman announcing said outside a large house on the edge of London. Her hand was pressed to the ear piece listening to what someone was telling her. "This just in, BBC has obtained a copy of the letter and will be read in studio by my co-anchor, Mitchell Wright. Mitchell?"

The screen cut away as John watched a young man come on screen with a stern face. "This just in, the first London's Cat letters has been retrieved and we have it ready for you now." The graphics changed to a letter background as the text appeared, Mitchell Wright reading along. John opened his Death Note and listen to the letter as it was read. He wrote to the words. 'Mitchell Wright.'

"Dear Londoners, my name is Cat. I am your protector." 'Spontaneous combustion. Mitchell will combust…' "I am good and you will come to understand I am benefiting the world." 'after repeating the Cat letter and saying this. 'Cat, this is evil, and I am going to win. I don't know who you are yet,' "I have destroyed the underground making the streets safe." '…but I will destroy as many lives as possible and take the reaper's reward if there is one. Sincerely, the monster in your shadow.' "The underground was first, now to the murders and the evil doers. Sincerely Cat."

The man suddenly changed. He looked angrily into the camera. "Cat, this is evil, and I am going to win. I don't know who you are yet, but I will destroy as many lives as possible and take the reaper's reward if there is one. Sincerely, the monster in your shadow." The flame ignited from his face burning him quickly. John smiled and suddenly burst out laughing evilly, he couldn't help it, he was changing. For what he thought was the better.

* * *

There were five riots in six days at their school, four people had been trampled to death and twenty-nine were in the hospital. As John walked up to the school with Alyssa by his side the crowds peacefully stepped aside and let them pass singing Cum-ba-yoh and other wholesome songs. John snicker, "they must have run out of energy."

"You seem so upset at it. Why, hoping to get in a fight?" John smiled. A good fight, a good fist fight he could do with. He wasn't that bad at fighting. "you men and your brawns." She said rolling her eyes.

"I've been meaning to ask you, do you want to go to dinner with me tomorrow?" John asked quietly as they entered through the main doors. Alyssa stopped and shrugged. "Don't know if you're busy or not?"

"I may be busy, maybe this weekend though." Alyssa said thinking. "Defiantly this weekend, say Saturday at seven?" She asked and turned into their class room that was nearly deserted. Half the class was out protesting the school and the other half just wanted to graduate. "Hey, John, why are they protesting?"

"I don't know for sure, but it was something they changed in the school's acceptance policy. I think drug tests or something." They laughed together as the teacher walked in slamming his brief case down. "Are you upset or something?"

"I am pumped; today we are going to discuss the Cat-Evil case! Everyone pick a side and go there, Cat on left Evil on right." Everyone got up and went to the Cat side except Alyssa and John. "Alright then, I hope you two are ready, defend your position!"

* * *

John had picked up five different names from the crowds on the way out. He quickly jot then each down in the notebook with spontaneous combustion as the cause. 'That should shake them some. Protest me not the school.' He said, he was upset because in a middle of his sentence the chanting overcame his voice. That'll teach them.

Alyssa had gone out the back; apparently she had to do something on the other side of campus. John almost had the nerve to kiss her, almost. He wanted to though. John walked up the bell tower and checked his watch, 'one minute till eruption.' The comments in his head flew as he made it to the top and looked out over the field, alone and by himself. '3…2…1.' Five flames erupted across the field. John laughed and laughed as the poor beings thrashed about violently, eventually falling dead in a pinnacle.

"I am so good." He whispered to himself. There were footsteps behind himand the teacher approached him, "hey teach."

"So, you are Evil?" The teacher said calmly leaning over the bricks to rest his arms. He smiled. "And I see you've got a Death Note."

John was dumbstruck. He stopped and lifted his pencil but the teach was quick and took the notebook away. He began to flip through it quickly. "You're making slow work, really. Kill five people every hour; you know you can set the time. Five an hour, 120 people a day it'll get you're numbers up."

"How do you know?" The teacher smiled and pulled out a piece of paper and touched it gently to John. The giant Reaper appeared behind him and smiled. "You have your own Reaper?"

"William here Mercy kills terminally ill patients at hospitals using 'a peaceful death.'" The Reaper said patting his head. "I gave him my Death Note, I have enough life left for nine hundred years so I figured I was safe."

"John, this is Hoild. He's the Reaper commonly mistaken for a Valkyrie. So, you're Evil, correct?" John nodded. He handed the Death Note back. "I'd like to see you catch up to good, she's probably ahead."

"I killed the Pope."

"I stand corrected. You're lucky you can't go to Hell." The teacher said and began to walk away. "Take my advise, 120 a day, she'll never be able to catch up."

"She?" John asked as the two slowly headed downstairs and out of sight. He stood their for a second and took a breather.

* * *

"Should I keep the Death Note, Datum? 120 is a lot." John said sitting on his bed staring at the black cover with gold writing. Caressing it with one hand he felt the smoothness and looked over at the Reaper. "Do I really want to be evil?"

"Depends, how badly do you want to win?" Datum said floating above him and moving freely in the air. He took the Death Note and flipped through it. "You're still in the lead with only a few more days left."

"I can last a few more days." John said and took the Death Note back and looked out his window. It was late but there were still people out. He wrote down five spontaneous for each hour and went to sleep, the next day's burnings set up.


	6. Chapter 6

"Strategy is everything." William said as he, John and Holid sat in his office the next morning. John had had the idea to come and get advise from someone who has used a Death Note longer then he has. Datum objected saying cheating but John simply held up the letter and asked where that was listed. "You have to locate good people, grandmothers, doctors, politicians. The next fire has to be big. It has to rain terror down where terror never should be. I think it's time you set fire to the school."

"The school?" John asked. He had already gotten rid of the protesters with the fires yesterday and now the school was in question. "Why the school."

"At noon every day, when every student is here, they lock to doors and do a round with the security guards. I can pull you out of class and we can leave the building, I can pretend to be yelling at you outside when the fire starts. It'll burn every person inside." William said cruelly. He was good at heart but knew the game. There was a small knock at the door and it opened up. Alyssa was there with a giant smile on her face. "Oh, Alyssa. Sorry John we'll talk later."

"Alright, thanks for the advise." John said, he passed Alyssa with a smile and she walked in and sat down quietly. The door closed and John walked out into the hall. His shoes made a pattering sound against the solid wood floors and he stopped in front of the library and decided to check out some books.

After all, they wouldn't be there later today. He walked in and smiled up at the librarian and headed back to the engineering section and picked up a couple of books. He had a thought of his own.

* * *

John wrote carefully in the Death Note, Alyssa next to him, ignored what he was doing and jotted down the notes William was giving. John though it was funny; he had to start something afterwards to get him, Alyssa and William outside. Suddenly Alyssa stood up, "Hey, I forgot something in my car can I go get it?"

"Sure sure. Not when discussing the differences in crimes…" William continued and John began to write. 'Karthern Arburn. Spontaneous combustion.' She was the librarian he had smiled at earlier, she would be the targets. 'At noon today while restocking books, she will combust, the library will then catch fire followed by the school.' "So, everybody understand that?"

"I think that theory sucks. Obviously you've left gaping holes everywhere in it for it to be exploited such as capital punishment and that drowning someone for the good of man kind is still murder. You've got to be stupid to believe that." John challenged openly. The class 'oohed', it was against school regulations to abuse a teacher like that.

"John, hall, now." William said and the Reaper behind him gave John a big thumbs up. The three went outside on the main step and William actually did get upset. "What do you mean holes, I stated very clearly while you were killing that this had obvious expectations."

"You actually did believe that? You know you're evil just by helping me." John said pointing to himself. "Don't blame me for an incomplete thesis. " Heels were approaching. A security personal stopped by them. "I swear, no more swearing, the theory just was so riddled with holes."

"It wasn't riddled with holes, you only found two." The security moved past them and entered the building locking the door behind her. John began looking around, "is Alyssa still out here?"

"Yeah, she should be… I knew it, you had a thing for her." William said, he was about to continue but john stopped him by commenting on another hole. "You really are evil. So, do you see her yet, Noon's almost here?" William said looking down at his watch.

"There," John said as Alyssa walked over, her bright green dress easily spotted. It erupted then in the library, the windows burst out in flames behind them. "Holy shit!" John interjected and grabbed William and dragged him from the building to the fields. Alyssa rushed over to them. "Stay back. The windows are going!"

William touched a small bleeding cut on his face from a shard of glass. "I hope Miss Arburn's alright." He looked over at John who shook his head slightly. William rolled his eyes and Alyssa was stunned at the sight. The entire building was engulfed and then the screams could be heard. The fire crew arrived just a few minutes too late, everyone in the building was burned to death. John felt the Death Note in his bag and worried about the police, it was then he walked over to a tree with a nook in it and set it inside.

Alyssa was clam and remained quite through the interrogation, crying through most of it. John however decided to look stunned as the officers began questioning him. "So, John Gooding, what were you doing outside at that particular moment?"

"I… I was being yelled at. I started saying some inappropriate stuff and he pulled me outside to yell at me, and then boom, and the… the windows were gone." The cop looked over at him then looked down and away.

"Have you been in the library today? Sources point to that being the source of the blast." John nodded and pulled out the two engineering books. "Engineering?"

"For cars… I'm hoping to fix mine up. What about survivors?" He asked quickly staring over as body after body was brought out under a full sheet. "Didn't anyone survive?"

"I'm afraid not. If we have any more questions, we'll contact you." The officer said heading off to check with William's interrogator. They both nodded and headed back to their police car; a minute later they were both free to go. Datum landed down next to him and quickly said, "You're up to 400 points." The reaper then quickly left after kicking Holid and waving at him.

* * *

"Datum… I've read your letter very carefully. I feel I can ask this question without cheating." John said holding it up, he turned it to face him and smiled. "Datum, who is good?"

"that's right, it's not cheating, but I'm not going to answer you. That'd take out trying. The first thing good did."

"She did what? The same thing? Yes, I know it's a girl. Who else would pick a kitten as a mascot?" John said and Datum smiled. He laughed for a while then stopped and stared at him. "What else aren't you telling me?"

"You should already know who good is. Why don't you ask any questions about your eyes, anything you see weird? It's a hint because she already knows who you are. She's known for days and done nothing about it. Too good to kill…"

"Alyssa, I couldn't see her time. Are you telling me she's the good?" Datum smiled and unfurled his large wings and looked down on him nodding quickly. John stopped in his tracks then thought 'she won't do anything as long as I don't know. She thinks I have no clue. "Datum, I request that you don't tell her that I know. Just tell her I think it's a girl because of the cat thing. Lead her on to suspect that I think it's some lonely middle aged woman down my street."

"That… I will do John. Keep the experiment going on longer."


	7. Chapter 7

He lay alone in his bed staring at the ceiling waiting for news from Holid, he was going to work with John on finding things out about Cat since she couldn't see him. The empty room seemed to spin until he fell asleep. "Hey kid."

John opened his eyes quickly to see the form above him, the white and tan wings out stretched for the added effect of the bird like reaper. John sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Hello Holid…" He turned over to his clock, 2:34 AM. "You were supposed to be here at 10!"

"Cool it; I had to wait for certain things to finish. Cat has a thing happening at White Chapel, some gangsters are meeting there. It's in a half an hour, come on. I want to see her face when you show up." Holid said. "Come on."

"I'm not going, I just need information, and did you get one of the gangsters' names?" John asked quickly, he yawned and picked the death note out of the bag. It still smelled like tree and fresh air. "I don't want to reveal myself yet, but scare her."

"Alright… John Caster. He's the one she's using, if you kill him before she has him schedule to die then he'll die from you're way." Hoild told him and pulled out a piece of paper. "These are the others; you may want to just make them heart attacks and hallucinations. Don't want to give yourself away as you said."

John quickly made busy work and made it as soon as they were on White Chapel they would fall off a heart attack and hallucinations causing a heart attack. Cat wouldn't know what hit her.

* * *

His morning was busy as far as the notebook was concerned. Five people died every hour of fires, he had no more classes so he stayed home, hung out with his dad in the back yard playing catch and baked with his mom. Finally around noon he went upstairs and pulled out the Death Note and wrote carefully on how the elementary school would burn. He knew a small child up the street and there, he would strike grief into the hearts of parents.

There would be fire all over London today, heart attacks to just for the fun of it. William was busy away at the hospital giving terminally ill patients peaceful deaths and didn't answer John's invite to come and play killer with him.

As he was about to write another name down for a burning Datum came into the room and sat himself down laughing. "You really scared her last night, even though you lost fifteen points. It was worth it though in my view. Tell me, are you still working with Hoild?" John nodded and continued. "Good, he's an excellent reaper, takes names by the hundreds, and never stays in our world, love people too much.

"Datum, if you want to go watch something truly evil, go down the street and watch the Elementary school for a few minutes." John calked slightly then heard footsteps on the stairs and hid the Death Note between the pages of the engineering book. The door opened and his mom walked in. "Honey, come on, the Elementary is on fire! It might engulf the neighborhood, we're being evacuated."

"Just let me grab some things. He said quickly and took the book and headed out with his mother and father to the car, the Death Note safely in his lap with the other books and a pencil. "Where are we going?"

"Aunt Millie's house, she's got extra space. Hopefully it's just for an afternoon." Datum sat down in the back of the car as John opened the notebook to let him read. 'Axel Gordon. Burning by matches. Will take matches to school and set himself and the neighborhood on fire. The neighborhood will be evacuated before the fire reaches it.' Datum laughed and smiled.

* * *

"Look there's a special on London's Cat. Want to watch with us?" Aunt Millie asked as she sat down with her brother, John's dad and her sister in law. John shook his head. "I think I'm going to lay down for a while."

"The Cat… a mysterious figure…" The TV started as he close the guest bedroom behind him. 'The Cat… Her name is Alyssa, she's 18, a Leo, and I'm dating her. That's who Cat is.' John pulled out his cell phone and dialed her number. After a couple rings a shaky voice answered. "Hey, are you doing anything?"

She answered in a 'no I'm bored and need rescuing' response. "Do you want to go out and get lunch, I'm evacuated, and the entire neighborhood went up in smoke." He said.

"What?" She asked astonished.

"Yeah, the police think it's this evil guy. I don't know, but I don't have a house anymore, we're staying with my aunt."

"That's… terrible." She quickly changed her voice. "How about I pick you up then and we head over to the coffee shop? They have lunch specials."

"Alright." He quickly told her where he was and the nearest landmark and left the room closing the phone. "Hey, I have a lunch date so I'm be back in a while." His parents looked up at him strangely and surprised. They had never heard him use the word 'date' before. It was even more shocking when outside a beautiful young girl pulled up.

* * *

Alyssa looked nervous throughout the whole thing, he voice wavering and not being steady. John finally stopped and asked, "Are you alright?"

"It's just with yesterday and then half of a area going up in flames… It's getting dangerous." John nodded. "So you agree with me, we should find Evil and stop him."

"Whole heartedly, I lost my house, my basically everything, only thing I have are those library books, my parents, our car and you left." She blushed at the end and leaned in. "What?"

"You're cute sometimes," she said quietly. "Sometimes." She straightened out and smiled as her hand reached out across the table and grabbed his. They both leaned in and kissed quickly. She pulled back and smiled; her expression genuine. "Let's get out of here, it's boring."


	8. Chapter 8

The small street was lit with the sunshine from above that peered down through broken clouds. Side by side john and Alyssa walked, quietly and calmly through the crowds. They made their way down to a small desert street where a couple merchants had windows set up with trinkets and baubles from the far east. John turned to her, "so?"

"If I tell you something important, promise you won't freak out." She said quietly and stopped; she clasped her hands together and looked down taking a deep breath in waiting for his reply.

"Don't tell me… you're actually Alyssa's twin sister!" John joked taking it easy, he put a hand on top of her head and kissed her forehead, "nothing you could say could freak me out."

"I am Catting I've been drowning all those people. I kill the killers." John smiled and removed his hand sighing. "What? You don't believe me?"

"You're losing; I'm up to six hundred points." John said calmly walking past her. "Come on; let's find something interesting to buy in one of these shops." He said and opened a door yelling 'Nihow' at the shop keep, he responded positively while Alyssa followed him in, a little scared ad a little worried. John began looking around and saw her standing at the front of the shop. Confidently he walked up, grabbed her hand and pulled her in. "Since I have to get a new house, what do you think of Chinese decorating?"

"You're evil." She whispered. He turned to her a pouting face on and began to sigh. "Don't, I have to kill you." She was about to pull out her death note when he stopped her. "Let go." She said quietly and pulled out the notebook.

"Why do you want to kill me so badly? You can't catch up to me in points, you minds well wait until the end of the week when the experiments over and they get taken away then we can have a fair fight. I'll bring a shovel and you bring a pitch fork." He jested and turned back to a small lamp label 30 pounds on it.

"You're serious?" He nodded and picked up the lamp. He handed it to her and began looking through oriental boxes.

"What? I think that's a good price for it?" he said not getting what she was getting at. Alyssa got angry, set the lamp down and smacked him. "Hey, I didn't freak out, you don't freak out. Alright, anyway, we're on a date, enjoy yourself."

Alyssa stormed out of the building shoving her Death Note back into her bag. John picked the lamp back up and continued shopping around.

* * *

Datum sat up with John at three AM. Hoild came into the room and sat down on the couch next to them. He turned to the TV and smiled. "Monty Python? I watch it all the time with William. You made her cry pretty badly. She won't leave her room, she won't eat."

"Great, now I feel bad." John commented shoveling a handful of popcorn into his mouth. He handed the bowl over to Datum who took a handful as well then offered some to Hoild. Hoild shook his hand and John set the bowl back down on the table in Aunt Millie's living room. "If I wrote something, would you take it to her Datum?"

"Don't get me mixed up with your problems; I'm just here administering the experiment." Datum said eating all the popcorn at once. He then picked up the bowl and swallowed the rest in a few large gulps.

"Will you drop it off Hoild?" John asked swiveling his head. The reaper nodded and John went into the kitchen and grabbed a tissue and wrote something on it and rushed out handing it to Hoild. "Thank you."

"No problem, I like all the drama." Hoild laughed and disappeared through the front door with the note. John sat back down and waited to hear news, but he fell asleep and was woken to, "kid! Yo, wake up!"

Hoild shook him and woke him up at three AM, just an hour's sleep. He handed him back another note and passed it to him. "Come and talk to me in person. I got to go."

"Later, I'm going to go and eat some of your food." Hoild said and headed off to the kitchen. John slipped on his shoes and headed out into the dark London streets. He then realized it was a while to her house and came back in to grab the keys and see Hoild swallow and apple core. John rolled his eyes and left for real this time.

* * *

Alyssa was sitting on her porch when John pulled up in front of her flat and got out. He stopped short of her when she raised a hand. "You are evil."

"And you're good, it's in the experiment. Why'd you freak out?" He asked and sat down on the cement in front of her. "I didn't freak out, and Datum said you knew already."

"Then why'd you try to throw me off in the coffee shop?" She said slowly. She lifted her head up and stared at him. "If you were going to tell me, how come you tried to lie to me?"

"I thought at the end of the week this was all going to go away and none would be the wiser." He said confidently. He took her hand which she ripped away. He grabbed it again and held it. "I do love you, why can't you understand that?"

"You killed all those people? But I guess I did too." She said giving in a little and grasping his hand back. "You scared me stiff back there in the shop, why'd you have to go and make a comment that way. Couldn't you have just kept quiet?"

John shrugged, "at some point I would have to tell you. If you want I'll surrender, we can both hand in our Death Notes and we can end it and our memories will be gone." John said quickly, she shook her head. "What?"

"I was planning a grand death for whomever evil was, but… but I can't kill you. I wanted to show the world that there was such good in the world and that the evil would be punished. But I lost and I fell for it. What kind of good am I?" she cried, two large streams of tears rolling down her face.

"Then there will be one last fire." She looked up nervously and john pulled his death note out and a lighter and set the corner of the book on fire. John set it down on the sidewalk and it began burning slowly and steadily. "I'd rather have you then win this."

Alyssa jumped up and clung to him, her tears wiping off on his chest. John wrapped his arms around her, watching the Death Note burn. Hoild landed behind her and looked up at John holding up William's Death Note. John smiled over at him then turned his head and kissed Alyssa brow. "There's nothing more to cry about."

* * *

John sat up with William in his apartment, Hoild hovering above. John and Hoild had just finished spewing their story about last night while William through himself down in a chair and looked up at him. "You know, if writing were illegal, you'd be the first serial killer I've met. I think you should defiantly keep going, you can have a page of my Death Note and kill her."

"I don't want to kill her." John tried explaining for what seemed the ninetieth time.

"Write this, 'peaceful death. At the end of her life she will die a peaceful death'. Nice sounding huh?"

John smiled, "I'd win that way. That's the point isn't it? To kill the other, who said it had to be now?"


End file.
